Paper machinery



June 14, 1960 Filed March 27, 1959 IN VE N TORS WILLIAM R. PENROD 8: F RlCHARD W. PHELPS ATTORNEYS United States Patent PAPER MACHINERY ililliam R. Peurod and Richard W..Phelps, Fulton, N.Y., assrgnors to The Black-Clawson .Com'pany, Hamilton, 01:10, a corporation of Ohio Filed Mar. 27,1959, Ser. No.'802",449

12 Claims. 014118-63 closely adjacent the surface of a backing rollover which the coated web or sheet is passing, and is provided with an axially extending slot nozzle for directing a thin stream of air to impinge upon the coating on the Weber sheet passing over the backing roll and-thereby to exercise thereon a doctoring function. Illustrative of air doctor apparatus of the character to which this invention relates are disclosed in Terry Patent No. 2,139,628 and. the copending application of Richard Phelps, Serial No. r

708,479, filed January 13, 1958. I

It is desirable with air doctor apparatus of this character to provide for fine adjustment to'control'the size,

direction and positioning of the slot from' which the "air "strearn'emerges with regard to such'considerations' as the I particular results desired, the velocity or pressure of the air being ejected through theslot, the desired uniformity or non-uniformity of the slot gap atvarious places along the device, etc. Such adjustment may be desired at closely spaced points along the slot, particularly with long air doctor devices for useon Widecoatingmachines. "Also 'such' adjustment may 'bedesired in addition to or independently'of other adjustments of the entire airdoctor device'with respect to a backing roll with'which it isa'ssociated such as by the supporting and-adjusting means indicated in the above patent and pending application.

According to this invention an air doctor device of the character described is provided having an air emitting slot defined by elongated cooperating lip members, with adjustability being provided not only as between the lip members but also independently or mutually with respect to a backing roll or other surface on which a stream of air emitted through the slot is intended to impinge. The

adjustment is provided for at relatively closely spaced doctor deviceof the character described, independently adjustable lip members defining therebetween 'a 'slot through which a stream of air emerges to impinge upon the surface tobe doctored,= and. particularly'to provide such a device wherein each of the lipmembers is adjust- Patented June 14, 1960 ice able independently with respect to the surface ,to be doctored.

A further object of this inventionis toprovide, in an air doctor device of the character described, independently and individually adjustable lip members defining therebetween a slot for the emergence of an air stream to impinge upon asurface to be doctored, with each of .the lip members beingfadjustably movable with respect to the source of air in the air .doctor and including as a part of its adjusting mechanism asealing member forpreventing escape of air other except through the slot defined by the lip membersand as a stream to impingeruponthe surface to be doctored.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, theaccompanyingdrawing, and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. lis a transverse section along the line 1-1'of Fig. 2 through an air doctor device embodying and for practicing this inventionandalso indicating the associaand partly fragmentary, of an air doctor deviceembodying and forpracticing this invention;

Flg. 3 is a'fragmentary view on a larger scale of.one,of the fulcrum or pivot members in a device as indicatedlin Fig. l; and

. Fig.4 is a fragmentary'view in perspective showing one i of "the lip members of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, an air doctor device ofl'the character'to'which lthisin'vention relates comprises an .elongated'pipe mountedgenerally as indicated in Rig. 1 with respect to a backing roll 11 ofa conventional paper coating machine, With'a'paper web having a coating thereon' to be doctoredbeing indicated at 12. The mounting of the air doctor'across the'coating machine is not shown in detail, and it may be satisfactorily supported at its ends as by endbosses. 13 'in suitable supporting brackets 'or 'means'such, for-example, asdisclosed in the above patent and pending application. 7

The-pipe IO'forms'anair: chamber closed by a flange 14' at each end, and one'orb'oth of the endtbossesfll which form parts of the flanges 14 is hollow for the introduction therethroughof a supplyof air under pressure to the interior of the-pipe 10. Along. so'much of'the length of pipe 10 as extends across the width of thew'eb 12 on backing roll' 11' t0"be doctored, 'there'is provided a series of'dischargeholes 15' for the emergence-of streams of air under-pressure from the'interior of pipe 10, which streams of air are"to bedirected to impinge upoir'the surface 12 to bedoctored'as anelongated knife-'of air thereacross.

The air stream'from :the holes 15"is controlled by'a pair of elongated-and converging 'lipmembers and 21 which form'a nozzle defining'thereoetween a relatively narrow slot 22"fordirecting the stream of air to-impinge with'the required velocity and force on to the 'surface 12 to be doctored. "The lower lip-member'20f'is shown as a generally'flat plate, but theupper' lip'member 21' includes a flange 23'integralwith or weldedtoa reinforcing strap.24 to whichthe lip member 21 issecured by a plurality of 'cap screws25, and bracing ribs 26 are welded to. thefiange 23.and.plate24 at spaced locations therealong. 'Thisupper lip assembly alsoincorporates means. for flexing the lip member zlyparticularly to assure accurate alignmenrof the-workingedge of the lip. Such adjusting means include-a-plurality of set screws 27 threaded through the 'plate' 24'--for: engagement with the lip 21,and such flexing-of the :lip is also facilitated by the groove 28 bores 32 in the pipe.

Qdevice. 1 r g 1 C While the form'of apptatusherein described coni Whatis claimed is:

11;. An air doctor device of extending longitudinally of its upper surface. V

The lip members 20 and 2.1 are mounted on the pipe generall y'in the positions shown in Fig. 1 and in such relationwith the .holes inpipe- 10 .as todirect the streamof airfrom these holes through jthe;slot 22 for impingement in the desired manner. and direction on the web surface 12to be doctored. In addition, themountings of the lip members and 2 1 in accordance with the invention incorporate special provision for adjusting and controlling the position of each of the lip'members with respect to each other and to the web surface.

Referring particularlyto Fig. 1, the lowerlip member 20 secured to the underside of the pipe 10 by a plurality of screws which pass freely through the bores 31 in thelipmember 20 and are threaded into receiving the full length of the lip 21 in retaining grooves 34 and 35 in the opposed surfaces of the lip member 20 and the pipe 10 to form afulcrum about which the lip member 20 can be rocked. Such rocking movement is effected and controlled by a plurality of set screws 36 which extend through the lip member 20 along its back edge for 7 adjustable engagement with the wall of pipe 10 and thus cooperate with the screws 30 in the rocking adjusting movement of the lip member 20. The part 38 in Fig.

' .1 is 'a dust seal.

A similar adjustable mounting is provided for the lip member 21 and includes capscrews 40 passing freely 7 through the flange '23 into tapped bores 41 in the pipe10.

The fulcrum rod 44 extends substantially the full length r of the lip member 21 in retaining grooves 45 and. in

the opposed surfaces of the flange 23 and pipe. 10, and the set screws 47 cooperate with the screws 40'to effect 'the'desired rockingmovement of the lip'ass'embly about the rod 44. This entireassembly is also shown as 'proscrews SIthrea ded into the reinforcing ribs 26.'

either or both of the lip members 20 and' zl may be ad- -f jus'te d with great accuracy to the proper relation with 1 other lip member and the surface 12 to bedoctored, ,7 and it will benoted that the mounting construction of the invention facilitates adjustment of the upper lip member- 21 into an overhanging relation with the lower lip member 20 by the preferred range of several thousandths 'of an inch in order to direct the flow ofair downwardly V 7 against the surface 12 and thereby to aid in keeping the i structions of the invention is that all adjustments are made from outside the pipe-10 and thus require minimum time and dismantling of'any of the associated equip- A rod 33 extends substantially.

jvided with a sheet metal cover 50 mounted by means of V i r In the use of this air doctor construction as described, 7

ment.. Furthermore, all of these advantages are obtained v with component parts which are individuallyeconomical to produce and also are easily assembled in the finished stitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood, that. this invention is not'limited to this precise form ofapparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as j such surface, comprising an elongated air chamber, discharge outlet means extending along one side of said air chamber, a pair of elongated lip members defining therebetween a slot for directing a stream of air from said outlet means to impinge on said surface, means forming a fulcrum extending axially between at least one of said lip members and said chamber to provide for rocking movement of said one lip member on said chamber with respect to the other; means for clamping said one lip member to said chamber through said'ful'crum to seal against escape of air'between said lip member and said chamber, and adjustable means cooperating with said fulcrum to adjust the sizeof'said slot 2. An air doctor device of the character described for mounting adjacent a surface to be doctored and adapted for emitting a stream of air to impinge upon such surface, comprising an elongated chamber, discharge outlet means extending along one side of said air chamber, a'pair of elongated lip members definingtherebetween a slot for directing'a stream of air from said outlet means to impinge on said surface, means forming a fulcrum extending axially between each of'said lip members and said chamber to provide for rocking movement of each ofsaid lip. members on said chamber with respect to each other, means for clamping each of said lip members to said chamber throughthe associated said fulcrum to seal against escape of air between said lip members and said chamber, and adjustable means cooperating with .said clamping means to rock each of said lip members about the associated said fulcrum to adjust the size and 'direction of said slot. r v V 7 3. An air doctor device of the character described for mounting adjacent a surface to be doctored and adapted for emitting a stream of air to impinge upon such surface, comprising an elongated air chamber, discharge outlet means extending along one side'of said air chamber, a

clamping means to rock said one lip member about said pair of elongated lip members defining therebetween a f tending axially between each of said lip members and said .chamber to'provide for rocking movement. of said .lip rhe'mberson said chamber withrespect to eachother, means for clampingeach of said lip membersto said chamber. through the associated said fulcrum to seal 7 against escape of air' between. said lip members and said chamber, said clamping means being located on the opposite side of the associated said fulcrum from said slot, and adjustable stop meansfor each of said lipmembers located on the opposite sides of said clamping means from said fulcrums and cooperating with said clamping 'means to rock each of said lip members about the associated said fulcrum to adjust the size and direction of said .slot.

' 4. An-air doctor device of the character'described for mounting adjacent a surface to be doctored and adapted for emitting a stream of air toimpinge upon such surface, comprising an elongated air chambendischarge outlet 'means extending along one side of said air chamber, lip members defining therebetween. a slot for directing a stream of air from said outlet means to impinge on said surface, means. for mounting. said'lip members on said chamber, a rod extendin'ggaxiallybetween onset said lip members and said chamber to fdrm a. fulcrum, for pivotal adjustment; movement of said lip member with 'respect to saidchamber and also to form a seal against escape of airbetwcen said lip member and said chamher, and means for adjusting and maintaining the angularpositioning of said lip member withrespect to each other upon said pivotal adjustment 'moveme'nt about said 'rodfor adjusting, the size of saidslot and thedirection which said lip members impose upon said'stream of air. 5. An air doctor device of the character described for mo imting adjacent a surface to be 'doctored' and adapted for emitting a stream of air to impinge upon such surface,

comprising an elongated air chamber, discharge outlet means extending along one side of said air chamber, lip members defining therebetween a slot for directing a stream of air from said chamber to impinge o'n said surface, means for mounting 'said lip members on'said chamber, said mounting means being adjustable for movement of said lip members withrespect to saidchamber, 'a rod extending axially between each of said lip members and said chamber to form fulcrums =for' pivotal adjustment movement of said lip members toward and away from each other and with respect to said chamber and also forming seals against escape of air between said lip members and said chamber, and means for adjusting and maintaining the angular position of each of said lip members with respect to the other upon said pivotal adjustment movement about said rods for adjusting the size of said slot and the direction which said lip members impose upon said stream of air.

6. An air doctor device of the character described for mounting adjacent a surface to be do'ctored and adapted for emitting a stream of air to impinge upon such surface, comprising an elongated air chamber, discharge outlet means extending along one side of said air chamber and directed toward said surface to be doctored, elongated converging lip members defining therebetween a slot for directing a stream of air from said chamber to impinge on said surface, means for mounting said lip members on said chamber on either side of said aperture means, a rod extending axially between each of said lip members and said chamber, said rods being seated in cooperating notches in said chamber and said lip members to form fulcrum action for pivotal adjustment movement of said lip members toward and away from each other and with respect to said chamber and also to form seals against escape of air between said lip members and said chamber, and means for adjusting and maintaining the angular positioning of each of said lip members with respect to the other upon said pivotal adjustment movement about said rods for adjusting the size of said slot and the direction which said lip members impose upon said stream of air.

7. An air doctor device of the character described for mounting adjacent a surface to be doctored and adapted for emitting a stream of air to impinge upon such surface, comprising an elongated air chamber, discharge outlet means extending along one side of said air chamber, a pair of elongated lip members defining therebetween a slot for directing a stream of air from said outlet means to impinge on said surface, means forming a fulcrum extending axially between each of said lip members and said chamber to provide for rocking movement of each of said lip members on said chamber with respect to each other, means for clamping each of said lip members to said chamber through the associated said fulcrum to seal against escape of air between said lip members and said chamber, adjustable means cooperating with said clamping means to rock each of said lip members about the associated said fulcrum to adjust the size and direction of said slot, and means spaced along one of said lip! members for warping the slot-defining edge thereof with respect to the other said lip member independently of said rocking movement of said lip members.

8. In an air doctor device of the character described for mounting adjacent a surface to be doctored and including an elongated air chamber having aperture means for the emission of a stream of air therefrom, the combination comprising a pair of lip members extending along said chamber on either side of said aperture means and defining therebetween an elongated slot for directing said air stream to impinge upon the surface to be doctored, an axially extending rod positioned between said chamber and each of said lip members, said chamber and each of said lip members having notches in the opposed surfaces thereof receiving the associated said rod to provide a fulcruming action for pivoting adjustment movement of said lip members toward and away from other said lip member and with respect to said aircha'mber upon said pivoting movement aboutsaid axially extending rods.

9. In an air'doctor device of the character described for mounting adjacent a-' surface '-to be doctored and including an elongated air chamber having aperture means for the emission of a stream of air therefrom, the combination comprising a pair of lip members extending along said chamber on either side of said aperture means with the front edge thereof defining an elongated slot for directing air emerging from said aperture means to impinge upon said surface to be doctored, an axially extending rod positioned between said chamber and said one of said lip members, the opposed surfaces of said chamber and said lip member having grooves therein receiving said rod to provide a fulcruming action for pivoting adjustment movement of said lip member toward and away from the other said lip member and with respect to said air chamber, means on the opposite side of said rod from said slot for clamping said one lip member to said chamber through said rod to effect sealing between said lip member and said air chamber preventing the escape of air, and adjustable means on the opposite side of said clamping means from said rod for varying the spacing between the back edge of said lip member and said chamber in cooperation with said clamping means to regulate the angular positioning of said lip member about said rod.

10. In an air doctor device of the character described for mounting adjacent a surface to be doctored and including an elongated air chamber having aperture means for the emission of a stream of air therefrom, the combination comprising a pair of lip members extending along said chamber on either side of said aperture means with the front edges thereof defining an elongated slot for directing air emerging from said aperture means to impinge upon said surface to be doctored, an axially extending rod being positioned between said chamber and said one of said lip members, the opposed surfaces of said chamber and said lip member having grooves therein receiving said rod to provide a fulcruming action for pivoting adjustment movement of said lip member toward and away from the other said lip member and with respect to said air chamber, a plurality of clamping screws extending through said lip member on the opposite side of said rod from said slot for clamping said one lip member to said chamber through said rod to effect sealing between said lip member and said air chamber preventing the escape of air, and a plurality of set screws extending through the back edge portion of said one lip member for adjustable engagement with said chamber to vary the spacing between said portion of said lip member and said chamber in cooperation with said clamping means to regulate the angular positioning of said lip member about said rod.

11. In an air doctor device of the character described for mounting adjacent a surface to be doctored and including an elongated air chamber having aperture means for the emission of air therefrom, the combination comprising a lip member extending along said chamber for directing air emerging from said aperture means to impinge upon said surface to be doctored, means for mounting said lip member on said air chamber, pivot and sealing means for pivoting adjustment movement of said lip member with respect to said air chamber and for sealing between said lip member and said air chamber preventing the escape of air therebetween, and adjustment means on said lip member adjusting the angular positioning of said lip memberwith respect to said air chamber about said pivot means. 7

12. In an air doctor device of the character described for mounting adjacent a surface to he doctored and ineluding an elongated air chamber having aperture means ffor'the emission of air therefrom, the combination com prising a lip member extending along'said chamber for "directing air emerging from said aperture means to impinge upon said surface to be doctored, meansfor mounting said lip member on said air chamber, pivot and sealing means for pivoting adjustment movement of said lip imember withirespect to I "ing between saidlip member and'said air chamber pred air chamber and for sealventing the escape of air, adjustment means on said lip member .for adjusting thean'gular positioning of said lip 'member'iwith respect to said air chamber about-said pivot "means; audwarping means on said lip member for warping at least the air-directing edgethereof and including an axial slit adjacent said edge and adjustable'pressure 'means for bending said member along said slit.

' No references cited. 

